


The Fire of Thy God

by Bazylia_de_Grean



Series: Magran's Fire [1]
Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Gen, fire godlike priest of Magran
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 05:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11434305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bazylia_de_Grean/pseuds/Bazylia_de_Grean
Summary: Magran’s will guides her, as it has ever since that first baptism of fire. This is what brought her to Dyrwood in the first place. There is a sentence to be carried out, marked by a pillar of smoke she can see whenever she closes her eyes – a glowing ember, a vestige from the past that should have burned with the others.





	The Fire of Thy God

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Star_Miya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Miya/gifts).



She wonders if he can see her from afar, across all the distance and trees and other souls. Probably not; only one of them has been blessed by Magran, since birth and then again, as a reward for loyal service. She has passed through flame and carries it within, burning those who would stand in her way and are too weak to fight through such a trial. Magran’s will guides her, as it has ever since that first baptism of fire. This is what brought her to Dyrwood in the first place. There is a sentence to be carried out, marked by a pillar of smoke she can see whenever she closes her eyes – a glowing ember, a vestige from the past that should have burned with the others.

The priest that wields the staff is ugly by the standards of all kith races, both his face and character, and his soul is not much better. It seems as if the soot and ashes staining his robe reach into his very being. Maybe that is why he survived – because ash does not burn. And yet he does.

* * *

 

The way he speaks of Magran would be blasphemy if it was not mostly true – she is the goddess’ flame on the soil of Eora, and thus she knows better than most. He should not even be able to use any form of magic available to a priest, because he has fallen out of Magran’s favour – has never been more than a tool, to be discarded after use – and yet he does. She closes her eyes and all becomes clear – a grey world filled by shadows and sparks, a scarce flame sometimes visible among them. In that world, Durance is fire, his devotion the only pure thing in him. Magran has abandoned him long ago, but he remains faithful, oblivious to her disfavour – because he has passed through fire and survived, but the flame blinded him. But, as it often happens with blind men, some of his other senses have sharpened. An odd mix – a priest who understands some things that remain unseen, but does not notice something that is in plain sight.

He notices her, but he cannot see what she really is. The flaming eyes, hair flowing like lava down her shoulders and back – he looks at her and thinks her a vessel of Magran’s flame. He looks at her and sees his goddess. And treats her accordingly – argues with her about everything, never calls her by her name, but she has some idea where he could have learned all the names he calls her. But still, he follows both her lead and orders, even if he questions them every step of the way. However annoying and infuriating he is, he follows and fights by her side, and risks his life without hesitation when situation demands it. He looks at her and sees his goddess, and underneath all the soot and ash the only pure thing in Durance is his devotion.

* * *

 

Her eyes burn and her hair catches fire when she watches the markings on the scorched staff. Eleven matches gone with the flame they struck. And one remaining, one that should have turned to cinders but keeps burning by the sheer force of will, because that is all he has left. A small smile twists her lips; the task Magran set before her has never seemed easier. When someone has nothing but one thing left, what better way to end his life than by taking that last thing away?

Magran rewards those strong enough to pass through her trials, but like all other gods – except for those few who do not care for it – she demands obedience. And when she leads someone along a trail of gunpowder to a blaze of glory, she expects them to perish. It is clear, it is simple – fire is not complicated, and neither is Magran. The signs were obvious, but Durance had his eyes fixed on the flame and failed to read them. And even though Magran isn’t patient, she can wait, because what was once set on fire will eventually burn down, one way or another.

* * *

 

Convincing Durance than Magran has abandoned him is not easy, but still not half as difficult as she might have expected, considering their earlier quarrels. But she is Magran’s fire in mortal flesh, so he listens, and in the end believes.

She thought it would be like snuffing out a candle, all gone in a small puff of smoke. Strangely enough, he does not stop burning. He simply leaves, without even a grumbled word of farewell, vanishes into the night, seemingly without a trace.

But in the world of shadows and sparks almost every priest of Magran can see, there is a trail ahead of him – dry twigs and leaves and hay. She follows that trail. This will be her reward – seeing Magran’s justice with her own eyes.

* * *

 

She watches as he steps up onto a pyre he has build for himself. He notices her, seeing her for what she is perhaps for the first time in his life – better late than never, as people say, but she has always considered it foolish – and his lips twist into a sneer. His eyes flash briefly as the fire he has carried inside for the whole time becomes real.

That makes her smile. How predictable that he would always find a way to follow his goddess’ wishes and will on his own terms. There is something almost admirable in that.

She watches as the flames lick at Durance’s robe and hands, reaching higher and higher, burning away the soot and ash. When the fire finally consumes him, for a moment he is pure.


End file.
